Bridges You Burn
by purplepagoda
Summary: Stranded, in the woods? No heat? Maybe these two agents will be able to come up with a way to create a little heat.
1. Another Side Of You

She wakes up, and it is bitterly cold. She looks around at her surroundings, she begins to recall that she is in a cabin in the woods, with her partner, tracking down a lead. If ever there was one, this was a wild goose chase. She lies on the couch with feet next to her face. She scrunches up her face, and pulls the blanket off her partner. She startles him. He sits up and looks at her.

"What did you do that for?"

"It's cold."

"When did we fall asleep?"

She looks at the T.V., and then at her watch, "We started watching this movie at nine, and it's one now."

"So, about three hours?" he answers.

"Yes," she nods.

"Why are you looking at me like that?"

"The fire is out."

"What do you want me to do about it?"

"Get more firewood."

"It's freezing out there."

"It's freezing in here," she counters.

"Ok, I'll go outside and get more wood," he huffs. He slips his shoes back on, and leaves the room. He wanders to the door. He looks outside, and then turns around.

"Go!" she insists.

"We've got a problem."

"What's that?" she questions.

"You know how it started snowing a few hours before we fell asleep?"

"Yes."

"It has now snowed so much that I can't open the door."

"You have got to be kidding."

"Even if I could get out, I don't know how to get to the wood."

"Why didn't you bring some extra in?"

"Why didn't you?"

"What are we going to do?" she asks.

"I have an idea, but you're not going to like it."

"I know how your mind works, and you should know, sometimes you're wrong."

"You don't even know what my idea is."

"I'm going to guess that it doesn't involve more layers of clothing."

"You are correct."

"You're so predictable."

"Couldn't you bend to my whim, just once?"

"Is that what you really want?"

"More than anything," he admits.

"Ok." Her eyes sparkle, in the dark room. The only light in the room, is that coming from the T.V. He wonders if the sparkle is from the light of the T.V. reflecting off her, or if it's really a sparkle. She smirks, and vacates the couch. She walks over to him, and unzips his coat. She takes it off of him. He searches his eyes for an answer.

"Boots too," she demands.

He slips out of the boots. She stands centimeters from him. She smiles, and laughs. Suddenly she pulls off her sweater. Underneath she wears a t-shirt, but he gets the message. She looks up at him, daring him.

"Stripping doesn't help much unless we..."

She whispers, "Unless we create some heat," into his ear.

"Right," he nods. He looks at her for a moment.

"Go ahead," she tells him.

He carefully removes her necklace, and places it on the coffee table. He returns to her. She loosens his ties. She throws it aside. She carefully un-tucks his dress shirt, and begins to unbutton it.

"It's cold," she reminds him as he sheds his shirt.

"Right," he understands.

Their hands move quickly, yet gracefully as they undress. Within a few seconds they are down to their undergarments. He places his hand on the back of her neck, he pulls her into a kiss. Both realize they will not make it to the bedroom. She pulls him towards her. He pushes her to the couch.

"Are you sure about this?" he questions, nearly breathless, as he straddles her.

"Yes," she answers.

He unclasps her bra.

"That's not your knee," she teases.

When she wakes up she's lying on top of him. Her head rests on his bare chest. A blanket covers the two of them. She lies still, listening to his heart beat. Suddenly it quickens. She feels his arms tighten around her.

"I'm not going anywhere," she tells him.

He loosens his grip. She doesn't say anything, hoping not to ruin the moment. He just stares at her. "At least now, we're warm."

"Much better," she agrees.

"Good."

"I have a confession to make," she admits.

"What's that?"

"I noticed a thermostat earlier."

"What do you mean?"

"There is a furnace too," she reveals.

"Yeah, I know. What are the odd of there being a fire place, and a furnace?"

"I guess it doesn't matter, does it?"

"We should probably turn the furnace on, so the pipes don't freeze," he suggests.

"We could take a hot shower."

"It can wait."

"Are you sure?"

"I don't want to move."

"Can you breathe?"

"I'm fine," he smiles, "More than fine."

"I also knew it would be too snowy to get more firewood," she admits.

"You set me up? If I didn't know better I would think that you had this planned, all along."

"What would make you think that?"

"I noticed that you didn't pack any pajamas."

"Neither did you," she points out.

"I guess we both had ideas on how this should go."

"I guess so."

"Do you think we can stay here, just like this, for the rest of the day?"

"We are snowed in."

"Do you think Gibbs will accept that excuse?"

"Do you think that Gibbs sent up here, expecting that there would be no heat?"

"Judging from his track record, he knew that there would be heat," Tony replies.


	2. Best I Ever Had

"Let's stay here, just like this, until someone comes to get us."

"Ok," she agrees.

"I have a secret."

"Just one?" she taunts.

"I think that..."

"That what?"

"I shouldn't have waited so long."

"Why do you say that?"

"You've been right in front of me, all along."

"You were looking for the right girl."

"I didn't need to look so hard. You've been with me, all along."

She doesn't reply, she just waits.

"You have always been the one who I was looking for. Why didn't you tell me? You should have told me. You usually tell me when I'm being an idiot."

"Some things you have to figure out on your own."

"But you knew. You always knew. That is why you told me that..."

"You said the heart wants what the heart wants, and I told you that it shouldn't."

"When I asked you if you ever lied to someone you loved, and you said..."

She answers, "They never found out."

"Why didn't you just tell me?"

"I do not take rejection well."

"I wouldn't have rejected you."

"Are you sure?"

"All I'm sure of is... I don't want to lose you. I need you. You're the only one I want. There is something that you should know."

"You have herpes?" she questions.

He smiles, "No. You don't have to worry."

"What should I know?" her arms rest on his chest. Her head rests on top of her hands. She stares at him.

"Even when I was with Jeanne..."

"Why are you bringing her up?"

"Just listen," he implores.

"Even when I was with her, it was the idea that I was in love with. In hind sight, I can see that. I wanted it to be you. Sometimes when I was with her I would catch myself thinking about you."

"I was with Michael mainly to piss you off."

"I know."

"I hoped that it would make you realize the truth."

"I'm a slow learner."

"I know."

"Do you think that we could ever really make it work?"

She smiles, "No probably not. It would probably end badly."

"Are you willing to give it a try?"

"Gibbs won't like it."

"He doesn't have to know."

"You really think we can hide this from him?"

"How much more trouble could we be in? I mean we already had sex."

"Yes, but so did he and Jenny."

"He was in love with Jenny. He let her go. Do you really think that will ever get over that?"

"I don't know," she shrugs.

"I do. He regrets it. I don't want live with the regret of something that I was too afraid to do. I'd rather take my chances."

"What happens if it ends badly?"

"We go back to the way things have always been."

"And if we cant'?"

"We move on."

"How? Where?"

"I don't know. If things end badly, I'll leave."

"Leave? Leave what?"

"NCIS."

"But you love NCIS."

"So do you."

"You were there first," she argues.

"Exactly, you still have things to learn."

"But..."

"I'm not going to argue about this with you."

"Ok."

"Lets just try to make it work."

"What are you thinking?"

"Why?"

"The look in your eyes."

He smiles, "I was just thinking, if things end badly, you can always be my first ex-wife."

"You're not Gibbs."

"No, but someone is going to have to fill his shoes one day."

"It won't be you, if you leave NCIS."

"Let's just allow things to play out the way that they are going to. We shouldn't worry about the hows, or the whys, or the ifs. Just let things happen."

"Ok."

"You didn't cringe when I mentioned your name in a sentence regarding marriage."

"You are the one who is afraid of commitment."

"Really? When have you ever been in a committed relationship, Ziva?"

"I..."

"What is your longest relationship with a man? How long did it last?"

"I guess that you would be my longest relationship. What about you?"

"I guess I would have to say the same."

"The only people we've ever had any commitment to are each other?"

"I guess so."

"That is sad. We are just supposed to be partners."

"Obviously fate had different plans."

"I don't believe in fate."

"Neither do I, but maybe we should start."

"How long do you think it will take?"

"For what?"

"Gibbs to find out?"

"About what?"

"About us?"

"Six months."

"There is no way," she argues.

"Why not?"

"Because you can't keep your mouth shut for that long."

"We'll see."


End file.
